Networking Basics

IP Address

Unique numerical identifier for a device on a network; IPv4 (32-bit) or IPv6 (128-bit)

TCP

Transmission Control Protocol; reliable, connection-oriented; guarantees delivery and order

UDP

User Datagram Protocol; fast, connectionless; no delivery guarantee; used for streaming

HTTP

HyperText Transfer Protocol; foundation of web communication; request-response model

HTTPS

HTTP Secure; encrypted via TLS/SSL; port 443

DNS

Domain Name System; translates domain names (e.g., google.com) to IP addresses

Router

Device that forwards data packets between networks; operates at Layer 3 (Network)

Switch

Device connecting devices within a LAN; forwards based on MAC address; Layer 2

Firewall

Security system monitoring and filtering incoming/outgoing network traffic

MAC Address

Media Access Control; unique 48-bit hardware identifier for network interfaces